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ST. LOUIS — Archbishop Raymond Burke has begun the process of defrocking the pastor at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church. Rev. Marek Bozek, 32 and a native of Poland, said Monday that he received a letter from Burke last week, informing him that he should present himself before the archbishop for "canonical admonition." In the letter, Burke said he's begun the process of laicization, or being "dismissed from the clerical state," for Bozek. The letter cited Bozek's participation in schism at the church that has been locked in a battle with the archdiocese over control of its assets and his...

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis' Roman Catholic archbishop has issued a "decree of suppression" of St. Stanislaus Kostka church, ending the historic church's standing as a Catholic parish in the St. Louis archdiocese.The traditional Polish parish, which is at odds with the archdiocese over control of the parish's property and assets, is appealing the suppression, along with last year's interdict and last month's excommunication of its lay board of directors and priest."We saw it coming," parish spokesman Roger Krasnicki said, adding that St. Stanislaus has retained a canon lawyer. "We're doing as much as we can as fast as we...

As the Rev. Marek Bozek moved into the nave of St. Stanislaus Kostka church, about 2,000 people, jammed into every crevice of the church and the church hall next door, stood up and cheered. It had been 18 months since the church had its own pastor and two years since the Polish parish and St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke had begun a dispute that this month led to the excommunication of its board members and Bozek, its newly hired priest. But on Christmas Eve the parish's focus was on Bozek, and Bozek's focus was on Christ. As he approached the...

Excommunicated priest holds ‘illicit’ Mass Hundreds attend service in St. Louis despite Church objections The Associated Press Updated: 5:11 p.m. ET Dec. 25, 2005 ST. LOUIS - At least 1,500 people attended Christmas Eve Mass presided by an excommunicated Roman Catholic priest, despite warnings from the archbishop that participating would be a mortal sin. The Rev. Marek Bozek left his previous parish without his bishop’s permission and was hired by St. Stanislaus Kostka Church earlier this month. As a result, Bozek and the six-member lay board were excommunicated last week by Archbishop Raymond Burke for committing an act of schism.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — At least 1,500 people attended Christmas Eve Mass presided by an excommunicated Roman Catholic priest, despite warnings from the archbishop that participating would be a mortal sin....Bozek said he doesn't believe that receiving sacraments at St. Stanislaus, especially Holy Communion, puts a Catholic at risk of mortal sin. The Rev. Charles Bouchard, moral theology professor and president of Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, said Burke was following canon law "to the letter" in excommunicating Bozek and the board. But some argue that St. Stanislaus' more than century-old governing structure holds the same authority as...

For 17 months, the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church has been without a priest. Wednesday, that changed. Father Marek Bozek left his post in Springfield, Missouri to come to St. Louis. Archbishop Raymond Burke promptly excommunicated him for his decision, as well as the lay board that hired him. Father Bozek says, "It causes me a lot of pain, a lot of fear. But I believe that this is a very unjust decision. And I pray that our appeal will be successful and we can be fully reconciled." He hopes for reconciliation between St. Stanislaus and the Archdiocese, ending a longstanding...

A day after he pulled into town, the Rev. Marek Bozek, the new pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka church, introduced himself to the St. Louis media. Literally. Minutes before a news conference at the church hall Wednesday, Bozek walked around the room and shook hands with every reporter, photographer and cameraman. Bozek plans to celebrate his first Mass as St. Stanislaus' pastor on Christmas Eve. He has been declared excommunicated, along with the six members of the church board, by St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke. His voice breaking with nerves, Bozek read a statement saying that he had received more...